Game and game-table.



No. 724,934. PATENTED APR. 7, 1903.

o. PRYIBIL.

GAME'AND GAMB TABLE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 9, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR PRYIBIL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

GAME ANDpGAME-TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 7 24,934, dated April 7,' 1903.

Application led May 9, 1902. Serial VNo.106.530. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it Wto/,y oon/cern,.-

Be it known that I, OSOAR'PRYIBIL, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Games and Game-Tables, of which the follow-v ing is a full, clear, and exact specification, such as will enable others Iskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in games and game-tables.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan View of my improved game-table. Fig. 2 is a view, partly in section, on the line 2 2, Fig. 1, looking toward the players end of the table.

Figs. 3, 4:, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are detail views ofV Wires of different shapes u sed in constructing the baskets located at the players end of the table. Fig. 9 is a detail View showing the manner of attachment of the ends of the different wires forming the baskets to the table.

The players end of the table is that located toward the bottom of the sheet of drawings in Fig. 1. The game is played with two balls propelled in any ordinary Way, but preferably by a cue. upon which it plays, denominated the scoring-ball. The table-surface 3 is bounded by the usual Walls 4 and is divided into three parts-namely, the basket portion 5, the plane portion 6, and the plane scoring portion 7. Along the end wall 4, back of the plane scoring portion 7, is a cushion 8, the object of which is to return the scoring-ball 2, as hereinafter described. The plane scoring portion 7 is divided into compartments of any desired shape by any suitable kindfof division-lines or lines or demarcation, and each of these compartments 'or areas has indicated thereon These 1 is the cue-ball, and 2 is the ballf end Wall 4 and at the other end in a fiared mouth or opening 10, running between two banks of said baskets. Said baskets are constructed of wire wickets of peculiar form and are so arranged as to provide a plurality of spaces of any desired form. In the drawings said spaces are shown as constructed in a form essentially rectangular, with the eXceping surface 7 or to hit the cushion 8 in the case of a bank shot and rebound toward the players end of the table inthe hope of its entering one of the baskets located at that end ofthe table. Owing to the greater difficulty of scoring at all with such bank shots on account of the di'fculty and uncertainty of. said scoring-ball 2 entering any of said baskets, the numerical values attached tothe several spaces inclosed by said baskets are relatively larger for scoring purposes than those placed upon the spaces in the plane scoring surface 7. This'will be evident upon examination and comparison of the numbers occurring in saidspaces at both ends of the table in Fig. 1. Thebaskets are constructed of spring-Wire and present an exceedingly' resilient surface for the scoring-ball 2 to strike. Most portions of the Wire baskets, as'at 11', are lower inheight than the height of the ball, and if the ball 2 impacts upon that portion of the wire-basket work it will anything. In order to obtain access to any of the baskets-such as 50, 65, 175, &c.-the scoring-ball 2 must enter through one of the arches 12. These arches 12 are found not only as entrances to the baskets numbered 50 and 55, but also to those arranged along the `alley .Cl-namely, those numbered 75, 65, 150, 525 0n one side of the vmerely rebound and fail to score the player Y alley and 70, 80, 175, and 600 on .right-hand wire.

the other side of the alley. Moreover, similar arches are provided between each row of baskets laterally and longitudinally-ag for instance, between baskets S0 and 95 and, again, between baskets 95 and 100. The alley 9 is provided with the Haring mouth 10, causing the front wall containing the arches 12 of baskets 75 and 70 to occupy a slanting position relative to the opposite end of the table for the purpose of increasing the difficulty of the scoring-ball 2 obtaining access through the arches 12 to the several baskets. To increase the probability of the scoring-ball 2 striking a resilient portion of the basket-work and at the same time to remove the possibility of said ball wedging in a right-angled corner, the baskets are so constructed as to have low portions 11 at each of the corners of each of the spaces, as indicated in the square marked 50. This arrangement produces additional squares 13 to which the ball does not have access, as the wire walls thereof are low and have no arched openings 12. Due to this provision foreliminating sharp corners in which the ball 2 might wedge, the use of plain wires crossing each other laterally and longitudinally of the board is im possible, and it becomes necessary, therefore, to construct these baskets of wires having a peculiar shape adapted to the position in which they are placed, although there are not as many shapes as there are wires, the wires 14, for instance, having the same configuration wherever they occur.

The baskets are constructed of wires of various shapes, such shapes being six in number. The configuration of these different wires is shown in detail in Figs. 3, 4, 5, 0, 7, and 8. Tires 14 enter into the construction of Spaces 50,77 90,77 125,77 4550,77 80,77 175, G00, and 55. Wire 15 forms the slanting side of the space, to which the numerical value seventy-tive is attached, and a substantial duplicate of same forms the same part of the space marked 70. The only diierence between these two wires .is that one is a left-hand wire and the other is a Wires 16 form the side walls of the spaces marked 65, 150, 525 80, 175, and 600. Wires 17 form the walls between the spaces marked and 75, and 65, 125 and 150, 550 and :4525,77 u 7077,(Jnd H 55,77 :L 77 and i 95,77 c 77 and 100, and (500 and 500. fires 1S form the division between spaces marked 55, 95, 100, and 500. Wires 19 are used along the edges of the banks of baskets both at the sides of the tables and next to the alley 9 to produce the blunt corners hereinbefore described. In order to arrange a plurality of baskets in the form shown and described, it is necessary to use wires of odd shapes, and for this purpose I have illustrated my preferred form of wires. Each wire has at both ends an eyelet 20, through which a screw 21 is inserted to attach same to the tables.

Having thus described my said invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters 7o Patent, is

1. In a game-table the combination of a playing-surface and baskets forming inclosures located thereon said baskets having the low portions 11 and the arches 12, substan- 75 tially as described.

2. In a game-table the combination of a playing-surface and a plurality of banks of baskets forming inclosnres on opposite sides of the surface forming an alley between same, 8 substantially as described.

3. ln a game-table the combination of a playing-surface, a plurality of banks of baskets, forming inclosures on opposite sides of the surface forming an alley located between 85 same and having a flaring mouth, substantially as described.

4. In a game-table the combination of a playing-surface and baskets located thereon forminginclosures having blunt corners,sub 9o stantially as described.

5. In a gaine-table the combination of a playing-surface a plurality both longitudinally and laterally of rows of baskets forming inclosnres having openings communicating between the same, substantially as described.

6. in a game-table the combination of a plane portion constituting a playing-surface having located thereon a pluralityof lateral roo and longitudinal rows of baskets, said baskets forming inclosures, the baskets constituting the frame of both said lateral and longitudinal rows having arched openings there in to admit a ball propelled from the plane surface, and similar arch-like openings from each of said lateral and longitudinal rows of baskets into the one next adjoining same, substantially as described.

7. In a game-table the combination of a 11o playing-surface and baskets located thereon, said baskets being formed of wires attached to the playing-surface, said wires being individually of irregular shape, bntwhen united substantially as shown and described form- U5 ing baskets bearing approximately the same shape.

8. In a game-table the combination of a playing-surface composed of a plain portion and another portion bearing banks of resili- 12o ent baskets located at the end of the playingsurface, and a cushion, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto attached my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 2d day of May, 1902.

OSCAR PRYIBIL.

Vitnesses:

FRANK HARVEY FIELD, JOSEPH C. CLARK, J r. 

